Sal Fink lives in a small box - a suitcase, really. It can't be comfortable in there, and she probably doesn't get much sunlight or air. It's okay, though; she doesn't mind. She's only a puppet.When Monica Leo pulls her out of the box, however, she becomes much more. This construction of wood and fabric comes to life in the hands of her creator. "It's all about focus," Leo says. "You can tell when the puppeteer's attention isn't entirely on the puppet." A puppeteer, then, is a performing artist as well as a craftsman; with her dedication and skill, she brings the inanimate to life.
Even in the age of high-tech media, we're fascinated by puppets. Something about the ancient art of puppetry captures the imagination of generation after generation. Leo says there has been something of a "puppet Renaissance" lately, citing the Tony awarded to Avenue Q and films devoted to puppets and puppeteers as varied as Being John Malkovich and Team America. Puppetry is a versatile way to tell a story: "you can play anything you want," says Leo. "You aren't limited by your age or gender." A puppeteer can craft an entire world in the workshop, and breathe life into it on the stage.
Monica Leo is a founding member of the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre in West Liberty, Iowa. She graduated in 1968, and after taking a brief job at the Milwaukee County Detention Home, she began to make a living making and selling puppets at art fairs. She describes the spirit of the time as exciting and encouraging. "It was a fertile time for craftsmanship," she says. In 1974, her neighbor Deanne Wortman suggested they start a puppet theatre. The name "Eulenspiegel" comes from Till Eulenspiegel, a mischievous trickster in German folklore. The name of the Owl Glass Puppetry Center, where Eulenspiegel presents some of its smaller works, is also a reference to Till Eulenspiegel.
Other puppeteers joined the troupe in the early years, but the group eventually settled down into a duo: Monica Leo and Teri Jean Breitbach. Leo and Breitbach have been the creative force for much of Eulenspiegel's history. Recently they have begun collaborating with other artists - not only puppeteers but musicians, directors, playwrights and choreographers.
One of the weaknesses of puppeteers, according to Leo, is that they tend to be solo artists. "You begin to think you can do it all," she says. "So it's good to have fresh brains." Since the 1990s, Eulenspiegel has been working with a variety of artists both local and international.
Eulenspiegel has a particular interest in folk tales, partly because the artists are drawn to them and they can be repeated many times. The classification "folk tale" is quite broad, of course, and Eulenspiegel draws on stories from many cultures: German (The Frog Prince, Education of a Donkey), French (Little Red Riding Hood), Native American (The Adventures of Great Rabbit), and Japanese (the upcoming In the Mirror: Three Tales from Asia), to name a few. Many of these have an educational bent, teaching children traditional stories while also teaching them about the cultures that tell them. For this reason, Eulenspiegel works closely with local schools.
Finding a "curriculum connection" is difficult, given the rather stringent curriculum requirements placed on today's schools, but not impossible. "You can usually find a connection," says Leo. "You just have to think outside the box."
One historical piece found a very specific local collection: Floyd Pearce, when doing research for his book on the Underground Railroad, learned that John Brown had used the West Liberty depot to send freed slaves north to Chicago and Canada. Yes, the actual railroad was used as part of the Underground Railroad! The cars were being searched, so it is very unlikely that the slaves made it to freedom without the community's help. When Leo heard this story, she knew it would be perfect for the show Freedom Star, which dealt with these events. Leo was very pleased with the show. "It's the first time the audience has responded with both tears and laughter," she says. The story gives people a real personal sense of history; they learn their ancestors may have been at the West Liberty depot, waving at the refugees and wishing them good luck. "It's a good feeling," says Leo.
This year marks Eulenspiegel's 35th anniversary. Leo is happy with the way the company has grown; one important landmark was the recent addition of a paid Outreach Director, Chris Martin, to the staff. When asked what the future might hold, she is unsure but optimistic. "It's hard to see where the world will go," she says. "You just hop in and let the ride take you."
After 35 years, Eulenspiegel is still as active as ever. On January 24th, they will go straight from performing In the Mirror: Three Tales from Asia to a "puppet parade" at the 4th annual Ickys (ICCA's Excellence in Innovation awards). Look here for more information on Eulenspiegel's upcoming shows.
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